A Quarter-Back's Pluck: A Story of College FootballChadwick, Lester
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A Quarter-Back's Pluck: A Story of College Football
Chadwick, Lester
College sports -- Juvenile fiction; Football players -- Juvenile fiction
"I don't feel just right," answered Phil. "But I'm not sick. I'm all
right. Don't say anything. We're going to win. We're going to win!" he
repeated fiercely. "I'm going to run the team to another touch-down.
After that--after that," he faltered--"well, it doesn't matter, after
that."
The ball was kicked off. An exchange of punts followed the scrimmage,
and Boxer Hall got the ball. Her players began some good work, but
Randall was ready for it. Several of the best men were tackled so hard,
though not unfairly, that time had to be taken out for them to recover.
Then Pinstock had to retire because of a twisted ankle, but, to offset
this, Jerry Jackson was knocked out and Everet took his place.
For a few minutes it seemed as if Boxer Hall was going up the field for
another touch-down, but Randall braced in time. Then a sudden change
appeared to come over Phil. He had been playing for all he was worth,
but now he seemed a perfect whirlwind as he called snappily to his men
to take the ball through. And they did it. Through holes torn first on
one side between tackle and guard, or guard and center, and then on the
other wing, Everet, Holly Cross or Kindlings butted their way. Phil
varied this with some end runs and then called for his favorite play,
the fake right-half back and tackle shift, when Kerr took the ball on
the fly and went through the opposite side of his opponents' line with
it. The play netted fifteen yards, and placed the ball on Boxer Hall's
twenty-yard line.
The time was fast drawing to a close. Could Boxer hold the line
sufficiently to prevent Randall from scoring again, making the game a
tie? Or could Randall break through? Those were the questions every one
was asking.
"Now, fellows, for the 'Conquer or Die' song," called Bean Perkins, and
during a silence that followed a brief consultation between Phil and
Holly Cross there welled out over the gridiron the inspiring strains of
"_Aut Vincere Aut Mori_!"
"Signal!" cried Phil, and he gave one for a forward pass. He got the
ball off in good shape, but Nottingham, the burly guard of Boxer Hall,
broke through, and jumped right at the quarter-back, hoping to break up
the play. Phil went down under him, and when Kindlings had been stopped,
after a few yards' advance, the quarter-back did not get up.
"Phil's hurt!" cried Tom, and his heart reproached him for keeping quiet
about the warning. "That was done on purpose!"
There was a rush to where Phil lay. Nottingham was bending over him.
[Illustration: "There was a rush to where Phil lay"]
"By Jove, old man!" he exclaimed contritely. "I didn't mean to hurt you.
Hope I didn't tackle you too hard."
He began rubbing Phil's hands. Holly Cross passed his fingers over the
quarter-back's head.
"He got a nasty bump!" he exclaimed. "Bring some water."
The cold fluid revived the injured lad. He struggled to get up.
"Lie still!" insisted the captain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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